Selecting apparatus and method for phonograph

ABSTRACT

Vending selections are identified by a character format. Selections are chosen by sequentially actuating switches representing the characters. The characters of the selection identifying format are coded and stored until the entire format has been coded and stored, at which time the coded format is transmitted for subsequent reception, storage and decoding. Integrated circuitry is utilized.

United States Patent Jachimek etal.-

SELECTING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PHONOGRAPH Inventors: Thomas P. Jachimek,

Park; Thomas A. Murrell, Urbana,

both oflll.

Assignee: The Seeburg Corporation of Delaware, Chicago, Ill.

'Filed: Sept. 11, 1970 Appl. No.: 71,501

Related US. Application Data Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 862,624, Sept. 11, 1969, abandoned.

US. Cl ..340/l62, 194/15 Int. Cl ..Gllb 19/08, G07f 11/00 Field of Search ..340/162, 168, 164, 152; 194/10,15;178/2,17,17.5

Evergreen 3 1451 Oct. 31,- 1972 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,511,351 5/1970 Jones ..194/15 3,532,203 10/1970 Clift ..194/1o 3,453,387 7/1969 Bagley ..17s/17.5 3,596,181 7/1971 Dowling ..340/168X 3,576,433 4/1971 Lee ..340/l46.l x 3,399,350 8/1968 Lisle ..340/l64X Primary Examiner-Donald J. Yusko Attorney-Ronald'L. Engel, Daniel W. Vittum, Jr. and Gomer W. Walters [5 7] ABSTRACT Vending selections are identified by a character format. Selections are chosen by sequentially actuating switches representing the characters. The characters of the selection identifying format are coded and stored until the entire format has been coded and stored, at which time the coded format is transmitted for subsequent reception, storage and decoding. In-

tegrated circuitry is utilized.

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1. Vending machine apparatus comprising: a plurality of selector switches each adapted to be manually actuated by a customer, actuation of a selector switch causing a predetermined pattern of signals representative of a character of a selection identifying format to be generated, the characters of said selection identifying format having a sequential order that identifiEs the corresponding selection; disabling means for rendering said selector switches inoperative until a minimum amount of credit has been established, said disabling means also rendering certain of said selector switches inoperative for particular characters of said selection identifying format; a first register adapted to store patterns of signals sequentially entered therein; first shift means for causing the patterns of signals representative of the characters of said selection identifying format to be successively entered into said first register in the sequential order determined by the customer; reset and indicating means for resetting said first register to its initial state and for indicating the necessity of reactuating the selector switches corresponding to the characters of the selection chosen by the customer after a selector switch rendered inoperative by said disabling means is actuated; control means for automatically activating said first shift means to cause the patterns of signals stored in said first register to be rapidly transmitted in the sequential order determined by the customer when the patterns of signals representative of all of the characters in said selection identifying format have been entered into said first register; a second register adapted to store the patterns of signals transmitted from said first register; second shift means for causing the patterns of signals transmitted from said first register to be successively entered into said second register in the sequential order determined by the customer; and decoding means for converting the patterns of signals in said second register into vend control functions, whereby vend selection information is conveyed from the selector actuated by the customer to a selecting arrangement of a central vending apparatus.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein: each of the selection identifying formats is a three digit numeral; each of the digits is represented by a pattern of four binary signals each formed on a separate line; said first and second registers comprise a plurality of bistable devices arranged in a series of three stages with four bistable devices in each stage; and said first shift means comprises a clock circuit adapted to activate said bistable devices to change state when appropriate portions of said patterns of signals are applied thereto.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said disabling means also renders said first shift means inoperative if credit equal to or greater than said minimum credit level has not been established.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising means for individually indicating that the characters of said selection identifying format have been properly entered.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising means for disabling said second register if the patterns of signals transmitted from said first register are not entered into said second register within a predetermined time limit.
 6. Selecting apparatus comprising: means for generating a predetermined character signal for each character of a selection identifying format in response to choice of the corresponding selection, the characters of said selection identifying format having a sequential order that identifies the corresponding selection; disabling means for rendering said generating means inoperative until a minimum amount of credit has been established, said disabling means also rendering certain portions of said generating means inoperative for particular characters of said selection identifying format; a first register adapted to store character signals sequentially entered therein; means for causing character signals representative of the characters of said selection identifying format to be successively entered into said first register in the sequential order determined by the chosen selection; reset and indicating means for resetting said first registEr to its initial state and for indicating the necessity of reactuating said generating means after a portion of said generating means rendered inoperative by said disabling means has been actuated; control means for automatically causing the character signals stored in said first register to be transmitted in the sequential order determined by the chosen selection when the character signals representative of all of the characters in said selection identifying format have been entered into said first register; a second register adapted to store signals transmitted from said first register; means for causing signals transmitted from said first register to be successively entered into said second register in the sequential order determined by the chosen selection; and means for converting the signals in said second register in the selection control functions, whereby selection information is conveyed from the selector to an arrangement controlling fulfillment of the desired selection.
 7. Coin-operated phonograph apparatus comprising: a plurality of selector switches each adapted to be manually actuated by a customer, actuation of a selector switch causing a predetermined pattern of signals representative of a digit of a selection identifying numeral to be generated, the digits of said selection identifying numeral having a sequential order that identifies the corresponding selection; disabling means for rendering said selector switches inoperative until a minimum amount of credit has been established, said disabling means also rendering certain of said selector switches inoperative for particular digits of said selection identitying numeral; a first register adapted to store patterns of signals sequentially entered therein; first shift means for causing the patterns of signals representative of the digits of said selection identifying numeral to be successively entered into said first register in the sequential order determined by the customer; reset and indicating means for resetting said first register to its initial state and for indicating the necessity of reactuating the selector switches corresponding to the characters digits of the selection chosen by the customer after a selector switch rendered inoperative by said disabling means is actuated; control means for automatically activating said first shift means to cause the patterns of signals stored in said first register to be transmitted in the sequential order determined by the customer when the patterns of signals representative of all of the digits in said selection identifying numeral have been entered into said first register; a second register adapted to store the patterns of signals transmitted from said first register; second shift means for causing the patterns of signals transmitted from said first register to be successively entered into said second register in the sequential order determined by the customer; and decoding means for converting the patterns of signals in said second register into memory circuit control currents, whereby record selection information is conveyed from the selector actuated by the customer to a selecting memory arrangement at a central record playing apparatus.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 and further comprising means for indicating whether the credit established by the customer is sufficient to permit choice of a single selection or an album selection.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said disabling means also renders said first shift means inoperative if the credit established by a customer does not exceed a predetermined minimum credit level.
 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said disabling means prevents choice of certain predetermined numbers as digits of said selection identifying numeral unless credit sufficient to make an album selection has been established. 